How to Apply a Gift Card Code to Amazon: Full Guide

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Easy steps to add a gift card balance to your Amazon account

Co-authored by Christopher Batchelor and Nicole Levine, MFA

Last Updated: March 18, 2026 Fact Checked

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Digital Gift Cards

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Physical Gift Cards (Mobile)

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Physical Gift Cards (Desktop)

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Buying Gift Cards

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Video

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Q&A

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Tips

Yes! You’ve scored an Amazon gift card! Maybe it’s your birthday, graduation day, or anniversary. No matter the occasion, you’ve earned some free bucks, but how do you redeem them? Whether you received a digital gift card or a physical gift card, this guide will teach you how to redeem it on Amazon using the mobile app or a web browser on your computer.

Quick Steps to Redeem an Amazon E-Gift Card

Sign in to your Amazon account in a web browser or the mobile app.
Open the gift card email or text from Amazon.
Click or tap Apply to your Amazon Account.
At checkout, select "Use your gift and promotional balance" to pay with your gift card balance.

Section 1 of 4:

Redeeming a Digital Gift Card

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If you received an Amazon gift card via email or text message, you can redeem it easily from the email or text itself. First, you'll want to make sure you're signed in to your Amazon account in your web browser or using the mobile app on your Android, iPhone, or iPad.^{[1]
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This will open Amazon in your web browser (or in the mobile app on your phone or tablet) and apply the amount of the gift card to your Amazon balance.

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Use your Amazon gift card at checkout. When it's time to make a purchase, your gift card balance will be ready to spend. Here's how to use it:
- Go to your cart and select the Proceed to Checkout option.
- Tap Continue to checkout.
- Since you've redeemed your gift card code, you'll see "Use your $X.XX Gift and promotional balance" as the default payment method.^{[2]
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- If the box is not already checked, check the box to use your balance, then place the order.
- If the order's total comes to more than your gift card balance, the remaining amount will be deducted from your default Amazon payment method.

Section 2 of 4:

Redeeming a Physical Gift Card (Mobile)

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Find your Amazon gift card claim code. If you have a physical Amazon gift card, you'll need to reveal the code on the back of the card. Depending on the card, you'll either need to scratch off a silver coating or peel back a sticker to reveal the digits.^{[3]
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- If the card is in a cardboard package, remove it first. The gift card code is not printed on the cardboard package, but on the card itself.
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Open the Amazon mobile app and tap the Profile icon. If you're using the Amazon app on your Android, iPhone, or iPad to shop, tap the outline of a person at the bottom-center part of the app to open your profile.
- Make sure you're signed into the correct Amazon account. Gift card balances are non-transferable.^{[4]
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It's just beneath the "Gift Card Balance" heading, which also displays your current gift card balance. You'll have to scroll past several sections to find this.
Type the 14 or 15-digit claim code from the back of your card into the "Enter claim code" field. You do not need to type the dashes. Alternatively, you can tap Scan your claim code, then use your phone's camera to scan the code automatically.
The full amount of the gift card will be added to your Amazon account balance. Once added, you can use your balance to make purchases on Amazon.
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Use your Amazon gift card at checkout. When it's time to make a purchase, your gift card balance will be ready to spend. Here's how to use it:
- Go to your cart and select the Proceed to Checkout option.
- Tap Continue to checkout.
- Since you've redeemed your gift card code, you'll see "Use your $X.XX Gift and promotional balance" as the default payment method.^{[5]
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- If the box is not already checked, check the box to use your balance, then place the order.
- If the order's total comes to more than your gift card balance, the remaining amount will be deducted from your default Amazon payment method.

Section 3 of 4:

Redeeming a Physical Gift Card (Desktop)

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1
Find your Amazon gift card claim code. If you have a physical Amazon gift card, you'll need to reveal the code on the back of the card. Depending on the card, you'll either need to scratch off a silver coating or peel back a sticker to reveal the digits.^{[6]
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- If the card is in a cardboard package, remove it first. The gift card code is not printed on the cardboard package, but on the card itself.
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Log in to your Amazon account. Make your way to Amazon.com and sign in using the account to which you want to add the gift card balance. If you're already signed in, make sure you see the correct name at the upper-right corner of Amazon–if you're not signed in to the right account, hover your mouse over the name of the person who's signed in, then click Sign Out.
- You will need an Amazon account to shop on Amazon.
- Gift card balances are non-transferable.^{[7]
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Click your name at the top-right corner of Amazon. This takes you to the "Your Account" page.
- You can also hover your cursor over the “Your Account” tab and click Account at the top of the drop-down menu.
It'll be one of the tiles in the upper portion of the page. This takes you to a page where you can both view your gift card balance and apply new gift cards to your account.
This link is just below your gift card balance.
Type the 14 or 15-digit claim code from the back of your card into the "Enter claim code" field. You do not need to type the dashes. Once you apply the code, your balance will update to reflect the new amount.^{[8]
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Use your Amazon gift card at checkout. When it's time to make a purchase, your gift card balance will be ready to spend. Here's how to use it:
- Go to your cart and select the Proceed to Checkout option.
- Tap Continue to checkout.
- Since you've redeemed your gift card code, you'll see "Use your $X.XX Gift and promotional balance" as the default payment method.^{[9]
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- If the box is not already checked, check the box to use your balance, then place the order.
- If the order's total comes to more than your gift card balance, the remaining amount will be deducted from your default Amazon payment method.

Section 4 of 4:

Buying Amazon Gift Cards

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Buy Amazon gift cards from the "Gift Cards" page. If you want to send someone an Amazon gift card, you can select a card design and type (physical or digital), then choose the amount you want to spend. Digital gift cards can be sent via email, text, or a shareable link.
- Amazon gift cards are available in various values. The minimum gift card amount is $5, while the maximum for most Amazon gift cards is $2000.
- Keep in mind that you can’t use a gift card to purchase other gift cards on Amazon.^{[10]
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Buy an Amazon gift card in stores. If you don’t want to buy a card online, look for an Amazon gift card at your local grocery, convenience, or electronics store. Typically, anywhere that sells gift cards will have an Amazon card available for purchase.^{[11]
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- Amazon gift cards are available in values of $15, $25, $50, and $100. Some stores allow you to add custom amounts.
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Add money to your existing Amazon balance. If you like to keep money in your Amazon account, you can add money to your balance without having to buy a gift card. Just follow these instructions, then enter the amount you want to add to your balance:
- On a computer, click your name at the top-right, select Gift Cards, then click Reload your balance.
- In the mobile app, tap the profile icon, scroll down to the "Gift Card Balance" section, and tap Reload Balance.

Community Q&A

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Question

If I accidentally scratched off part of the code, is there any way that I can still redeem it?

Community Answer

Yes. Contact the Amazon customer service department and visit the help pages of their website for assistance.

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Question

Do I have to have an Amazon account to redeem a gift card?

Community Answer

Yes, in order to purchase anything from Amazon you must have an account.

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Question

The code is unreadable once I removed the film from it. Is there another way to use the card?

Community Answer

You can call Amazon's customer service department.

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Tips

No worries if your gift card amount doesn’t meet your total! What isn’t covered by your gift card will go on to your default Amazon payment option.^{[12]
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